Reading the title of this article, you’re probably thinking you don’t need an article like this. After all, you probably don’t have a carved stone statue in your house, and you’ve never traveled to Asia and purchased a totem or some other representation of a false god. So why would a conversation about idolatry be of any importance to you, right? However, believe it or not, the most common warning about sin in Scripture does not deal with lying, gossip, adultery, stealing or murder. The most common sin in all of Scripture that we’re told to avoid, reject and move away from is idolatry. And that’s not just Asherah poles in the Old Testament. In fact, in the New Testament, 1John 5:21 says, “Little children, guard yourselves from idols.” So apparently idolatry is still trying to work its way into our lives and distract us from worshipping and obeying God.

 

You see, idolatry is not just a pagan issue, or just an Old Testament or Jewish issue, it is a human issue. Is it that a piece of wood or bronze can do something bad to us? Or is it that we do something awful to ourselves when we place adoration and attention that should go to God in other things? When it comes to idolatry, the danger is not in an item, it is in us. In 1Thess 1:9-10, the Bible describes our new life, our new birth in Christ, in this way: “You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” Of course, in comparison to a dead and false idol, serving a living God seems like a no-brainer.

 

However, does becoming a worshiper of the one true God mean we no longer have to contend with the issue of idolatry? I wish it were that simple. Everything that is not of God raises itself up against God, even in the life of a Christian. Therefore, we constantly have idol pop-ups in our lives. Idols don’t just leave on their own. With the power of God’s Word and the help of the Holy Spirit alive in us, we have to tear them down—to destroy them. We need to remove them from our lives and depart from them. As our love for God increases, our tolerance for idolatry will decrease.

 

What are some of the great idols of our broader culture? What are some of the idols in the church culture? And what specific idols built in the context of our own lives, do we need to demolish? Imagine if the Israelites could see the idols we bow down before. They would likely find our idols even more ridiculous than we find their golden calf. The reason idolatry is listed first in the Ten Commandments (Thou shalt have no other god before me) is because idolatry is always the main reason we ever do anything wrong. We never break the other commandments without breaking the first one. The secret to change, then, is always to identify and dismantle the basic idols of the heart.

 

Dismantling our idols, however, is often difficult because we don’t want to expose them. We don’t want to admit, even to ourselves, that we’ve created an idol out of something. It’s easier to rationalize that they’re not really idols at all, merely good things we sometimes focus on too much. However, just like the Israelites, we may have to accept the bitter consequences of our idolatry. But any price is worth paying if it helps us to turn back to the true worship of Jesus.

 

By becoming aware of the many forms modern day idols can take, you’ll be better equipped to recognize and address them in your own life. Keep your heart and mind open to God’s guidance, and trust that He will help you maintain a balanced and focused life.